September 22, 2026
by Stephen T. Messenger
I’ve been fascinated by Netflix documentaries lately. If you haven’t watched ones like Washington, Lincoln, and Grant, you’re missing out. All of these leaders accomplished incredible things, and while it’s not explicitly stated, the films depict them as destined for greatness from an early age.
Yes, they had hiccups early on, such as parents who died, childhood sicknesses, depression, and life challenges, but they overcame them to achieve country-changing impact. An early George Washington was described in the documentaries as someone who was about to explode onto the national scene, as if it were preordained.
This makes the Great Man Theory an interesting concept, but it has a number of flaws. When people assume leaders have to be born great, they neglect the ability for a person to evolve and mature over time. A better way to look at greatness is not that we are born great, but that we can become great by our choices, attitudes, and the people around us.
Greatness is not born, but made.
Expanding the Definition of Greatness
Starting out as the Great Man Theory, it has thankfully evolved over the years to encompass all men and women, often now known as the Great Person Theory. It states that great leaders come out of the womb ready to change the world. Certain people are predisposed with traits that will catapult them to greatness.
It assumes that only those with specific attributes will rise to the top when history requires them. At that time, they will step out of the shadows to lead their people.
Thomas Carlyle came up with this idea in the 1840s. He believed there are six Hero Classes: Divine (Thor), Prophet (Moses), Poet (William Shakespeare), Priest (Martin Luther), King (Napoleon), and Man of Letters (C.S. Lewis). These heroes emerge when the environment calls for them and they are most needed. Hence, the situation will call out traits in a person who was born for greatness at that time and place.
Four characteristics of a “Great Man” are exuding charisma and influence, having the ability to bring order out of chaos, being born great, and emerging into one of the six hero classes. Many of our greatest historical leaders fit this definition of greatness. In fact, the Netflix documentaries of America’s greatest founders walk through this same pattern.
Yet, the Great Man Theory has a fundamental flaw: it assumes nothing is self-determined, when in reality, we can all write our own stories.
The Problem with Being Great from Birth
Perhaps the most glaring fault of this theory is that there is no scientific evidence to back it up. Carlyle’s theory was developed without personality inventories or observational studies, and while this theory has some merits, it isn’t backed by science or research.
That aside, we can all agree that it’s hard to be great from birth. We have no experience, knowledge, or upbringing, and starting out great is next to impossible. In the documentaries of the great men mentioned above, every one of them struggled in the beginning: Washington suffered defeat at Fort Necessity and was part of the disastrous British expedition to Fort Duquesne; Grant resigned from the Army and struggled through years of failure as a civilian; and Lincoln battled profound depression and self-doubt.
Under the Great Man Theory, men aren’t just born great; they carry it through their entire lives. However, Washington, Grant, and Lincoln all had to learn how to be great instead of just being it.
Another criticism of this theory is that leadership can be learned. Modern institutional investments prove that leadership is an acquired skill, not a genetic trait. Corporations spend millions of dollars to develop their people. The U.S. military sends an officer to yearlong schools at least three times in a twenty-year career. And coaching has become a multi-billion-dollar industry with 100,000-plus coaches registered in 2025 by the International Coaching Federation.
Beyond individual growth, the theory neglects the holistic leader. There are so many factors that go into being successful. These include luck and timing, having the right boss supporting our careers, a positive home life, finances to support objectives, and countless other factors that shape whether a person is great or not.
Finally, women were completely excluded from the original theory. While today it’s understood that both men and women are changing the world, Carlyle neglected women early on—a major oversight. Leaders like Harriet Tubman weren’t born into preordained greatness. She earned it through extraordinary courage, strategic thinking, and sheer endurance as she repeatedly led dozens of enslaved people to freedom.
The Great Man Theory is not well supported in modern-day leadership circles. The contemporary model is that leaders are built over time, and anyone with the drive, passion, resources, and luck can become great. While it’s hard to agree with the Great Man Theory, there are some good takeaways to enhance our greatness levels.
The Main Takeaway
While we’re probably not born great, we can become great. Carlyle argued that history acts upon us; in reality, our daily choices act upon history. My favorite line to tell others upon departing—and perhaps you’ve heard it if you listen to the audio version—is to “Be great today!” Instead of only a few of us being born great, we have the choice in life to wake up and go make a significant difference in the world today.
It’s not by predestination that we can be great. Instead, it’s our choices, attitudes, and who we surround ourselves with that matter.
Choices. We can choose every day to be lazy or productive. Waking up early, eliminating social media, reading more, exercising, eating right, reflecting, using money wisely, and practicing our religion are all choices we make. Greatness comes when we value our time and make good choices.
Attitude. Our attitude determines everything. Thomas Jefferson said, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” A right mind equals a right outcome.
Company. There’s a theory that we become like the people whom we surround ourselves with. If we want to be great, we need to hang around with great people. They will help lift us up to become a better version of ourselves.
When we make good choices, have a positive attitude, and keep good company, our greatness level increases. When we waste time, are pessimistic, and hang out with the wrong crowd, our ability to be great decreases.
We Can All Be Great Today
The Great Man Theory was a good leadership starting point 250 years ago, but today it doesn’t make much sense. There is no science to back it up, babies aren’t great from birth, leadership is learned through experience, and our environment matters.
Choosing to be great every day is a much more effective way of thinking about leadership. Through our choices, attitudes, and the people around us, we can lift ourselves up to a place of greatness and plug in where we are needed.
Next time you feel like greatness requires a special lineage or luck, take a pause. Greatness isn’t given. It’s earned through today’s choices. Go be great today!
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